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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24053770">Caught Unawares</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/admiralandrea/pseuds/admiralandrea'>admiralandrea</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCIS: Los Angeles</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angsty Schmoop, Episode Tag, Injury, Light Angst, M/M, Pre-Slash</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:46:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,668</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24053770</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/admiralandrea/pseuds/admiralandrea</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>G's health takes a downward turn at the conclusion of the case</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>G Callen/Sam Hanna</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>60</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Caught Unawares</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Yesterday I found some NCIS:LA fic that I wrote back in 2009, when I first watched Season One, so I'm posting them here for completeness. This one is a tag to S1 E8 "Ambush" and was originally written for Small Fandom Fest for the prompt "NCIS:LA - G, tries to hide an injury or illness". This was beta'd by spikedluv.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sam smiled to himself as he listened to G’s breathing even out and deepen as he fell asleep.  He wasn’t sure why, but G never seemed to have trouble sleeping on the office couch, even though it had to be way noisier than his partner’s last apartment.</p>
<p>Time passed as Sam continued his perusal of the paper.  He heard the others come in and start writing up their reports.  They were eager to make up points with Hetty after her reaction to the operation.  Sam wasn’t bothered, he knew that as soon as she saw G alive and well, Hetty wouldn’t have the heart to scold.  Plus, their results spoke for themselves.</p>
<p>Finishing the paper, Sam put it aside and turned to look at G, surprised that he was still sleeping.  Sure, G would often crash after an operation like today’s, but generally only for a short period of time, a sort of recharging of the batteries before he got on with whatever came next.</p>
<p>Sam caught sight of the cut through G’s hair and frowned.  He thought his partner would have had that checked by one of the many medics that had been floating around the militia camp during the extended clean up period.  The memory of the gun’s butt slamming into G’s head made Sam wince.  It was the same any time he saw G get hurt.  His partner sure did attract trouble like a magnet, and most times it seemed that Sam was the one getting him back out of it again.</p>
<p>Sitting up, Sam decided the best way to shake off the disturbing thoughts and the memories they brought up was to wake his partner.  Awake, G would distract Sam from things he would rather not dwell on, and reactions he was better off forgetting.</p>
<p>Reaching out, Sam put a hand to G’s shoulder, not getting too close because he knew how unpredictable G’s reactions could be on being awoken.</p>
<p>“G,” Sam said, shaking slightly.  Frowning when he got no response, Sam tried again, shaking a little harder this time.</p>
<p>Still getting nothing, Sam felt his heart sink into his boots and he slid forward from his seat to kneel on the floor beside the couch where his partner was lying.  “G!” he said again, more urgent this time.</p>
<p>The lack of reaction beginning to make him nervous, Sam yelled for help as he carefully peeled back one of G’s eyelids to check the pupil.  He was getting seriously worried now.</p>
<p>Nate and Kensi arrived simultaneously, Eric and Dom not far behind, all of them anxious and questioning.</p>
<p>“What’s all this noise?” Hetty’s arrival quieted everyone down and Sam quickly explained.  He hadn’t even realized Hetty was back from Washington until that moment.</p>
<p>“Mr. Beale, call 911,” Hetty ordered.  “The rest of you give us some space.”</p>
<p>The others moved back obediently and Hetty was able to get to Sam’s side and look at G for herself.</p>
<p>After that, time passed in a blur for Sam, until the ambulance arrived and Sam made it clear that he was going with.  There was no way he was staying behind this time, the way he’d had to after G was shot because it was a crime scene and he had to deal with LAPD.</p>
<p>Luckily, Hetty assumed that he was going as well, and before long they were racing through the streets, siren blaring as the paramedics chattered to each other and the hospital in jargon that Sam had no chance of understanding.  Instead, he concentrated on keeping a tight grip of G’s hand, silently urging his partner to be well, while simultaneously berating him for putting Sam through this shit again.</p>
<p>Once they reached the emergency room, G was whisked away out of sight and Sam was left in the waiting room, suddenly drained.  Before he’d had a chance to process it, though, the others were there, supporting him, and he allowed himself to be seated as the waiting game began.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>The hospital room was dimly lit, with only beeping monitors to break the silence.  Sam was slouched into the requisite uncomfortable chair by the side of the bed, watching G breathe.  It was something he’d been doing for a long time, carefully ignoring the bandages around his partner’s head and the paleness of his face.  Concentrating on the rise and fall of his chest under the blankets allowed him to block out the tubes and wiring, and the feeling of failure that threatened to choke him if he allowed the thoughts to gain entry.</p>
<p>The doctor had explained G’s condition to them, but Sam had barely taken it in, distracted by the all-too-familiar sight of G in ICU.  He’d only vaguely noticed the others leaving at Hetty’s urging, as she told them there was nothing they could do.  They’d gone reluctantly, promising to be back the next day, reassuring Sam that G would be fine, would bounce back from this like he always did.  And then he’d been left alone at last, with just his thoughts to keep him company.  The thoughts that Sam had been trying to keep out ever since.</p>
<p>Sam’s attention was drawn by movement he glimpsed from the corner of one eye.  Lifting his gaze from its focus on G’s chest, Sam realized that G had turned towards him.  He could see G’s eyes blinking, as if he were trying to open them, then fingers brushed his where they rested on the bed.</p>
<p>“It’s all right, G, you’re in the hospital,” Sam said, voice hoarse from sitting silently for so long.  He reached for the call button and pressed it, alerting the nurses to his partner’s awakening.</p>
<p>The room was soon full of medical personnel and Sam was ushered out the door to wait.  He headed for the lounge he’d become so familiar with last time around, and was surprised to find Hetty sitting there, looking old and tired in a way that made Sam feel uncomfortable.</p>
<p>“He’s waking up,” Sam told her shortly, voice choked with emotions he hardly dared name.</p>
<p>Hetty nodded and smiled at him.  “Typical Mr. Callen, always ahead of the curve,” she said, referring to the doctor’s expectation that G would remain unconscious for 24 hours longer than he had been.  “No doubt he’ll be trying to discharge himself soon.”</p>
<p>“Not this time,” Sam said roughly, heading to stare out the window at the parking lot.  “He needs to realize he’s just as human as the rest of us.”</p>
<p>Hetty murmured something in the background, but Sam ignored it in favor of watching the cars come and go far below, struggling again for control of his emotions.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>By the time Sam got back to G’s room, a lot of the monitors and tubes had disappeared.  The man himself was sitting up, but looked barely awake.</p>
<p>“You should be sleeping,” Sam said, taking in the still-pale face and drooping eyes.</p>
<p>“In a minute,” G said.  “I wanted to say something to you first.”</p>
<p>Sam made a dismissive gesture.  “It can wait,” he told G.</p>
<p>“No, Sam, I don’t think it can,” G told him.</p>
<p>Sam winced, knowing his body language was giving him away to G.  Three years as partners made them like open books to each other.  Recognizing the stubborn look, Sam settled into the uncomfortable chair once more.  Maybe letting G get whatever was bugging him off his chest was the best way to go.</p>
<p>Once Sam was settled in his seat, G spoke.  “I just wanted to say sorry, Sam,” he started, holding up a hand as soon as Sam started to interrupt.  “No, hear me out.  I know you think I can be a bit fast and loose with my health, but I promise this time, I wasn’t.  A medic at the militia camp did check me out and he said I was fine.  I had no double vision or nausea or other symptoms of a concussion and I was wandering around that camp for hours.  There was no way anyone could know what was going on inside my head.”</p>
<p>G paused, clearly tired, but Sam waited him out, knowing he wasn’t done yet.  “I know that you’re upset and angry, and I know why.  And I just wanted you to know that I feel the same way, too.  I hope you’ll forgive yourself for what you perceive to be your fault, because I don’t blame you for what happened.”</p>
<p>Sam stared at him, surprised.  This was the most open he’d ever seen his partner in the three years they’d known each other.  Even when they spent hours stuck on boring stakeouts, G was never this talkative about stuff.  With G, even casual conversation was hard to come by most of the time.</p>
<p>G was staring back, a hopeful look on his face, and he even held out a hand to Sam.  Sam couldn’t ignore the gesture, nor could he leave his partner hanging in the face of such naked honesty.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, G, I should have trusted you to have gotten yourself checked,” Sam finally said.  “As for the rest, yeah, we share some feelings, but I’m not sure about the forgiveness part.  That might take me a little more time.”</p>
<p>“As long as you’re trying,” G said.  “Because you have to know I don’t blame you for not seeing something a trained professional missed.”</p>
<p>“Okay,” Sam said.  “Now will you get some sleep?”</p>
<p>G nodded and smiled at him, blue eyes bright with emotion, and Sam brought the hand he still held to his lips, kissing G’s knuckles.  “I’ll still be here when you wake up, G, I’m not going anywhere,” Sam reassured him.</p>
<p>That seemed to be what G needed to hear and he closed his eyes, relaxing back against the bed, breathing evening out into sleep once more.  Sam relaxed as well, still keeping his grip on G’s hand, and let his own eyes close, never once noticing Hetty standing by the door, knowing smile on her face.</p>
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